OTHER MEDIA AND USEFUL DISCIPLINES
Creativity in other spheres that we can learn from.

Understanding Comics, by Scott McCloud
Whenever I mention this book during a lecture, four or five people in the audience will get a big smile on their faces and say, “Yeah!” In comic-book format, comic author Scott McCloud explains how his medium works—readably, wittily, and above all thoughtfully. His discussion of what happens between the frames of a comic book is particularly insightful. Even though comics are non-interactive, McCloud’s analytic approach inspired me to think harder about videogames and try to apply his techniques to our own work. If you buy one book about other media, make it this one.

Story: Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting, by Robert McKee
I’m leery of McKee, because too many of his acolytes have slavishly adopted his pronouncements as gospel, and proceeded to create paint-by-numbers stories according to what they see as his 'formula.' However, that’s not McKee’s own fault. His analysis of the structure of stories and the ways to create dramatic tension—particularly for the movies, which is his chief concern—is incisive and thoughtful. Be warned: McKee’s chief concern is screenwriting, and he does not claim to know anything about interactive storytelling.

A Pattern Language, by Christopher Alexander et al
Will Wright says that this book was part of the inspiration for The Sims. It’s about how people use buildings, and about how buildings make them feel. For example, a staircase in a house isn’t just a way of getting from one floor to another; it’s a stage upon which people perform. That’s why mansions have grand staircases in the entrance hall, so elegant ladies can sweep majestically down them. Christopher Alexander and his team identify dozens of patterns of behavior—not all so dramatic—and show how to enable that behavior through architecture. Definitely useful stuff for world-builders.

The Design of Everyday Things, by Donald Norman
Ever wonder why so much modern gadgetry is a hopelessly complex jumble of features? It’s because the designer has put his or her own needs before yours. Donald Norman introduces the idea of user-centered design: putting the user’s needs first, and he gives seven clear principles for achieving it. Although the book is chiefly concerned with the utility of practical objects, it applies to software user interfaces too. His concept is similar to one that I teach young game designers, player-centric game design, in which the player’s entertainment is the highest good.

Next: Deep Background